This past week, I didn't really have too much time to keep up with seasonal stuff. I still haven't watched the latest episodes of Kanojo mo Kanojo or Dekoboko Majo. Also, I haven't yet had a chance to check out either Pluto or The Apothecary Diaries. I have time off around Thanksgiving (in the US), so hopefully can catch up on stuff then.
For non-seasonal stuff this past week. I did manage to finish the first season of Zombie Land Saga. Overall it was really enjoyable. I do think it started the season off stronger than it ended, but there was a nice plot reveal pertaining to Kotaro to end the season that makes me excited for the second season (when I get a chance).
Finally, I am still slowly working through Rurouni Kenshin 2023. Just got to Sano's introduction and really feel like they are taking their time with the pacing. I am not really sold on whether it is a good thing or not, but the show feels unnecessarily slow sometimes. I am torn on whether this is a good thing or bad thing though. I suspect that it just feels slow right now since it is still early in the story and this beginning portion is just not very strong. But that the slow pacing will pay off later in the story when the action picks up. Time will tell!
@ram@lemmy.ca if you would be so kind as to do the pinning once again.
One of the things I like about this series is how they use real artists/albums/songs rather than slightly changing names like is usually done. I say that, but on the first page it says Benny's instead of the real Denny's.
The spoiler is rendered correctly in lemmy-ui and in Jerboa. However, it is not really a standard markdown way of doing spoilers and completely prevents inline spoilers. I really wish lemmy did spoilers with the >!spoiler here!< syntax.
edit: Looks like lemmy won't even allow the < character at all inside a code block. Lots of rough edges to lemmy's markdown syntax.
I didn't realize this was getting a second season. I haven't watched the first season. The premise sounds like a decent hook for a fantasy story, but the ratings don't inspire a ton of confidence.
Definitely deserved for Frieren. Episode 7 was probably my favorite episode yet. The Kingdoms of Ruin dropping entirely off the chart is surprising considering that it premiered at number 1 on the chart and stayed high until suddenly its gone. Also interesting to see Undead Unluck and Dead Mount Death Play jumping up the chart so much.
Great title drop to end the episode. In case you missed it last week, there was a discussion about the translation of the title in the discussion thread for episode 7. Looks like they went with Frieren the Slayer (at least in my subs, sometimes it can vary by region).
Frieren decided to break the number one rule in any D&D party by splitting up. She wanted to go solo the boss to get all the good loot for herself I guess. I am really looking forward to next episode as I remember the confrontation with Aura was one of my favorite confrontations of the manga (though the action is not necessarily my favorite part of Frieren). I don't remember all the details though as I haven't gone back and reread this one other than to spot check a thing or two as they have progressed through the adaptation.
This is a great one. I remember seeing this back on reddit a while back, it's great to revisit it. I am a big fan of short but meaningful stories, and this one definitely qualifies.
That's fair if you don't like storylines that feature betrayal. Since it is Cid doing it, it isn't really straightforward and plenty silly along the way, so hopefully the comedy can keep things light enough for you until the arc is over in a couple episodes. This arc is the second half of LN 3 and based on the previews, they are adapting at least through the first half of LN 4.
From his (kinda very stupid) POV, he thinks he is saving them from being destroyed by the MCA and plans on employing them to run the new company that he forms after both Mitsugoshi and MCA are destroyed. Overall, this arc is probably one of the most popular within the fandom with some great gags and misunderstandings.
If you are still anxious about what is to come, some vague spoilers:
These two finally went on a date. However neither of them seem to be able to function like a normal human being. So...small step forward? I wonder if Ooya (landlady's daughter) is aware of the date.
We have begun the next arc now featuring fan favorite John Smith; Cid's most recent alter-ego in which he fancies himself a super secret agent tasked to destroy and then rebuild Mitsugoshi. I actually think the anime did a pretty good job of motivating his actions here. I remember the first time I read the LNs I was a bit confused as to why Cid decided to destroy Mitsugoshi. If you are confused, his thinking is basically this:
Mitsugoshi have become too successful too quickly, making enemies of established powerful entities like the Major Corporation Alliance (MCA)
Being an upstart, Mitsugoshi won't survive the fight against the MCA
So, in order to save his friends (Shadow Garden), he plans on destroying both Mitsugoshi and the MCA and reforming under a new name with the help of Yukime and her resources in the Lawless City
This conveniently puts him at the top of the new organization where he can directly make lots of money instead of his friends making money off of his ideas
It is important to remember that Cid doesn't realize that all of Mitsugoshi's money can be his if he asked. He just thinks that Gamma et al are running a business off his ideas but still play "pretend fight the cult as Shadow Garden" with him at night sometimes
All the while, he is hiding his identity as John Smith from Shadow Garden because...it's cooler that way, duh
The anime also certainly added quite a bit of Delta fanservice this episode. I especially like the bit where he was mindlessly feeding her his food from the counter. Additionally, we got a tiny bit of Delta's backstory through her meeting her brother. If there is one complaint I have about this series, it is that I wish we knew more about the Shadow Garden girls and their backstories. We have gotten some glimpses here and there (especially if you include mobile game content), but there is a ton more that could be told.
The ED this week is sung by Mayu Minami (voice of Kai). We also briefly saw Kai (along with Omega, Nu, and Alpha) when they sprung their sting operation in the cold open of the episode.
Yeah, it is such a straightforward, cartoonishly evil plan that it doesn't even really make sense. If your entire kingdom's population is comprised of mindless super soldiers, that pretty much halts cultural and technological progress right there. Not to mention any kind of economic interaction outside the kingdom since these awakened soldiers seem to be incapable of independent thought and speech. Just, what is the point of ruling such a boring country?
Then again, I am not an oligarch, so maybe I just don't get it.
Welp, can't say you couldn't see it coming. I hope everybody is strapped in for what looks to be a fifth full episode of Helck's backstory. Maybe the strategy was to have the giant exposition dump this far into the story so that you keep watching out of a sunken cost fallacy. This is such a huge chunk of the story, it might have just made more sense to start the story with young Helck/Cless and tell the story chronologically.
A whole chapter devoted to the leader of Urumin's group. This is the kind of backstory that the author can spend time to tell now that the story is serialized. I have recently been watching Zombie Land Saga and Airu here reminds me of Saki from that show. They are both former delinquents and the leaders of their respective groups.
It was also nice to see our brave MC Kimiya on the last page. He must have been a fan from the very early days.
Your description of The Bully In Charge made me imagine it as a mix between 21 Jump Street and Fight Club. It sounds absolutely wild. I am not too well read on manhwa (basically only follow Omniscient Reader and read Raeliana, an odd pairing I know), so I didn't realize there is a whole genre for Korean delinquents, but I guess it makes sense since there are analogous manga genres. It certainly wouldn't be the first story to start out great and then keep trying to outdo itself until it becomes farcical. Sometimes though, those can still be really fun, even if we end up laughing at them.
Cute chapter this week. I really thought Senpai was going to muster up the courage for the confession there for a minute. Looks like we will have to wait at least until after Nagatoro's match with Orihara before it might happen. It really feels close now though. If they reset back to a will they/won't they after this arc, then it would basically turn this into rent a gf.
Gate is one of those shows that sounds interesting to me, but I have seen very mixed reviews for it. There are enough shows on my to-watch list that it has never really made its way up to the top. I might have to check it out though. I like the premise of mixing our technological world with a magical fantasy world. That premise is one of the reasons that caused me to watch Vision of Escaflowne. However, that show just pretty much eschewed fantasy for the most part and was a straight mecha anime with light fantasy touches.
One of the things that I think make this series better than a generic harem series is that Rentaro is a fantastic MC. He always goes above and beyond to make everybody happy. He never uses the looming threat of their death if they reject him to influence their desire to join his family. Really looking forward to this series if they keep it as wild as it has been so far. The crazier they get, the better.
This past week, I didn't really have too much time to keep up with seasonal stuff. I still haven't watched the latest episodes of Kanojo mo Kanojo or Dekoboko Majo. Also, I haven't yet had a chance to check out either Pluto or The Apothecary Diaries. I have time off around Thanksgiving (in the US), so hopefully can catch up on stuff then.
For non-seasonal stuff this past week. I did manage to finish the first season of Zombie Land Saga. Overall it was really enjoyable. I do think it started the season off stronger than it ended, but there was a nice plot reveal pertaining to Kotaro to end the season that makes me excited for the second season (when I get a chance).
Finally, I am still slowly working through Rurouni Kenshin 2023. Just got to Sano's introduction and really feel like they are taking their time with the pacing. I am not really sold on whether it is a good thing or not, but the show feels unnecessarily slow sometimes. I am torn on whether this is a good thing or bad thing though. I suspect that it just feels slow right now since it is still early in the story and this beginning portion is just not very strong. But that the slow pacing will pay off later in the story when the action picks up. Time will tell!
@ram@lemmy.ca if you would be so kind as to do the pinning once again.